"Government has stated very clearly why action was necessary," Hamid Ansari said about surgical strikes.

On Board Special Aircraft: Vice President Hamid Ansari today said action against Pakistan was necessary as India can't be the recipient of terror attacks all the time and do nothing about it.

Talking to reporters on his return from his two-nation visit of Nigeria and Mali, he said, "The prime minister had said 'we will do it and do it in the time and method of our choosing'.

"How you do that is something left to the judgement of the government and the professionals in charge of this."

Mr Ansari said, you "can't be the recipient of terrorist attacks all the time and do nothing about it. Government has stated very clearly why action was necessary, terror launch pads were identified and taken care of".

He said both the African countries he visited also expressed their resolve in fighting terrorism.

"Both Nigeria and Mali have seen very serious terror attacks, many of which crossed national borders," he said. He also said that India wants restructuring of the legal framework by adopting a comprehensive convention on international terrorism.

On the role of members of Organisation of Islamic States (OIC) when it comes to pronouncements on Jammu and Kashmir, he said it is a strange kind of organisation and not much importance should be given to it.

Both Nigeria and Mali are members of OIC. Mr Ansari said the Malian leadership apprised him that the West African country will not be party to any anti-India stand.

During his address to the National Defence College in Nigerian capital Abuja too, Mr Ansari had stressed on the need for societies that stand for peace and humanism to increase their cooperation and strengthen efforts to prevent supply of arms to terrorists, disrupt terrorist movements, and curb and criminalise terror financing.